‘Carpool Karaoke’ producer weighs in on the confusion with new Spike TV show ‘Caraoke Showdown’

PASADENA, California – There has been some confusion about the new Apple Music series based on James Corden’s popular “Late Late Show” segment and Spike TV’s upcoming show “Caraoke Showdown.”

The Spike show, which is hosted by Craig Robinson and premieres Thursday at 10:30 p.m., takes its passengers on a car trip in which they win money by competing in a variety of karaoke-style challenges.

In contrast, each episode of the new Apple Music series, which premieres later this year, will have a celebrity host and guest from all areas of entertainment. As on the late-night segment, the pair joins for a car ride, some conversation, and a sing-along.

During the Television Critics Association press tour on Monday, one reporter called the Spike show “derivative” and asked what Corden felt about it.

The “Late Late Show” host avoided the question, saying, “I haven’t seen it, so I don’t know.”

To make things more confusing, both Spike TV and CBS are sister companies in the Viacom Family. Business Insider asked “Late Late Show” and “Carpool Karaoke” executive producer Ben Winston where the communication broke down about the projects for the sister companies.

Unlike Corden, Winston was open to speaking about the two shows and felt they were different enough from each other that brand confusion wouldn’t be a problem.

“I saw a trailer for ‘Caraoke Showdown’ the other day and it struck me as a different show,” he told us. “It feels more like ‘Cash Cab,’ which is a show we had in the UK. It feels more like a competition-based thing. But I think Craig Robinson is great. It’s a vehicle for him. I’m not too worried.”

Winston feels pretty secure that “Carpool Karaoke’s” position as Apple Music’s first original series would be enough distinction between the two.

“We have some mega-stars on our show,” he said. “There are really fantastic names and we’ve only finished shooting the first half of the season. We still have eight or nine episodes, 18 more people to be booked. I don’t really worry about ‘Caraoke Showdown.’ I wish them the best of luck.”